TRUMP WORRIES: President Donald Trump's stance on trade has unnerved many in Asia, as he has repeatedly accused countries like China and Japan of unfair competition and currency manipulation that he says are hurting U.S. jobs.

JITTERY TIMES: "While shares have generally continued to push higher they remain at risk of a short term correction being technically overbought again, and with short term investor sentiment at levels often associated with corrections," Shane Oliver of AMP Capital said in a commentary.

ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude oil futures shed 15 cents to $54.30 a barrel. It rebounded 86 cents to $54.45 a barrel in New York overnight. Brent crude, the standard for pricing international oils, fell 11 cents to $56.71 a barrel in London.

CURRENCIES: The dollar dropped to 112.89 yen from 113.26 yen late Thursday. The euro rose to $1.0571 from $1.0554.